Apparatus for manufacture of hats.



S. MAXFIELD.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF HATS.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.12. 1915.

Patented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l- THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH' co.,:w!xsHlNuTON, D- 64 s. MAXFlELD. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF HATS. APPLICATION FILED AUGJZ, ISIS.

1,185,697. PatantedJune6,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- .Jy tier/26 4s, W; W

S..MAXFIELD. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF HATS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJIZ, 1915- Tatented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3' jlwerzzor': v

MBIA PLANOGRAFH ,C0-, WASHINGTON. D. C,

S. MAXFIELD.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF HATS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJZ. 1915.

Patented June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- fwd THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, n. c.

SAMUEL MAXFIELD, or LUTON, ENGLAND, Assreivon. 'ro JOHN CHADWICKKERSHAW,

MATTHEW PLUMMER, JAMES HENRY SCI-IOFIELD, AND HERBERT EDMUND CAIN,

ALL OF LUTO-N, BEDFORID, ENGLAND.

APrAn 'r s Eon. MANUFACTURE or HATS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MAXFIELD, residing at 72 Upper Princess street, Luton, in the county of Bedford, England, a subject of the King of Great Britain, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Hats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of hats. l i

The object of the invention isto provide an improved apparatus whereby time and labor may be saved and cost of manufacture reduced.

The invention will be described with reference to the steaming and blocking of felt hats but it could equally Well be applied to i v steam chest f'and steam pot e by the pipes the blocking of straw and other hats.

In the manufacture of felt hats as now and hitherto carried out, the felt hood previously proofed with shellac or gum or similar material is covered with a cloth and heated and clamped by steam, the steam escaping into the atmosphere and rendering it saturated with moisture. The hood is then placed in a wood mold or curler and pulled over the edge of the curler and tied with string. A crown block is then inserted and pressed down into the curler. The hood is allowed to remain in the press for about 20 minutes to dry and cool. If removed too soon it shrinks and loses its shape; it is then dried in a drying room or'in the air which takes 3 hours to 24 hours according to which method is used and the atmospheric condition.

According to this invention the hood which has been previously proofed with shella gum or other material is steamed in a closed receptacle. The hood is then placed within the annulus of a metal curler heated by steam; it is then pulled over the edge of the curler and tied by string, then a metal or metal faced crown block which has been previously heated is placed in the hood and pressed down into the curler, firstly by hand. and then by screw pressure. In a few minutes the felt is sufliciently dry to be removed from the metal crown block or curler.-

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of apparatus adapted for carrying out the invention. Fig. 2 is an I Specification of LettersPatent Application file d August 12, 1915. Serial No. 45,118.

Patented June e, 1916.

end elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is a section on line A A, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line B B, Fig. 1. Fig.6 is a part sectionshowing the steam heated brim pan.

Upon the frame a of the 'machine are mounted two screw presses b 7) carried on arms 0 c pivotedin pillars d d. Beneaththe frame and disposed centrally of the presses are steam pots e 6 open to the atmosphere, Centrallj of the machine is a steaming chamber f adapted to be closed by cover g. Beneath the bed a is a steam pipe h coiled around the steam pots 6. Steam pipesj j lead the steam t o'steam pots e e and steam pipe k leadsthe steam to the steaming chest 7". Cocks m m m are provided on the branch steam pipes. The water of condensation is led away from the n n. Centrally of each press is disposed a brim pan whichis composed of a base part 0 and an upper part or curler p. The base part is provided with a stepped recess q in which is disposed a steam pipe 1'. Into the recess 9 fits the curler p which is provided with a cavity 8. The base part 0 is preferably round in plan; likewise the part of the curler which fits'into it but the upper part of the curler 25 and a may be oval or of irregular shape in plan and cross section according to the shape of hat which is to be molded upon it. The steam pipe 7' is perforated and connected to the steam pipe '71, by the branch at. The water of condensation is led away by the pipes w and a. Cover 9 is hinged at 2 and balanced by weights 3 3 and is adapted to be opened and-closed by a push bar 4 acting through hell crank levers 5 and connecting rods 6.

A stop 7 is provided to limit the movement of the push bar 4. The push bar is supported in guides 8 8. Within the steaming chest 7 is disposed a wooden annular tray 9 which is perforated and adapted to support the crown block 10 to bewarmed and the hood 11 to be softened. The crown block 10 may be metal or metal filled or partially filled with wood 12, means being provided for securing the wood to the metal. The crown block is fashioned to pass into the annulus of the curler and is shaped to produce any desired pattern of hat.

In operation the hood 11 and crown block 10am placed in the steaming chamber 7 and CIR the steam turned on. Steam is also admitted to the brim pan 0 and inlet 8. When the hood is sufliciently damp it is placed in the annulus of the curler p and tied down over the edge 4) and pressed as previously described. Another hood and the crown block for use in the other press are thenplaced in the steaming chamber 7. By the time the operator has finished tying down and press-- ing one hat the other is sufliciently warm and damp to be placed in the press, and while the operator is pressing and tying the second hat the first is drying sufficiently to be removed from the press and the third. is sufficiently warm and damped to be placed in the first press. Steam can be admitted to the steam pots e e to keep the hood damp and warm while it is being pressed.

In the manufacture of hats in accordance withthis invention the use of wooden curlers and crown blockshitherto employed are dispensed with and the dificulty arising: from dye stained. curlers and crown block-s is avoided. Great delay inthe cooling; and

setting of the hood in the press and further delay in drying in a drying room or in the atmosphere is avoided.

Ac felt hat can by this process be shaped and dried in a few minutes as compared with hours in the process now in use. lhere is also a" saving; in the number of wooden curlers, wooden crown blocks and presses required and in the amount of steam used; consequently there is a considerable saving in the cost ofmanufacture. Steam heated curlers and crown blocks made in accordance with this invention can also be used for blocking straw and other hats where gas heated blocks are now employed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is-:--

1. In apparatusfor molding felt or other hats, a curler provided: with a cavity to which steam is admitted and means for admitting. steam thereto.

2. In apparatus for molding felt-or other hatsabrim pan comprising a base part and a curler provided with a cavity and means for admittingv steam to the cavity.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses SAMUEL MAXFIELD. Witnesses:

REGINAnD- EDTON. Ennis, J orm CHADWIOK KERSHAWM depict 021MB patent may be obtained fox-five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenta.

WasIiIngtomD. G. 

